Improving the reliability of the turbocharger seal assembly by optimizing the elements of the seal assembly

Abstract

Currently, most power units using internal combustion engines are equipped with turbocharging and that is explained by the requirements for efficiency, environmental safety and specific power characteristics. At the same time, the turbocompressor (TCR) is one of the resource-determining elements of power units, which accounts for a significant number of failures. Studies conducted towards the analysis of turbocompressor failures have shown that the main reason for it lies in a malfunction of the seal assembly, which is a consequence of extremely unfavorable conditions for its operation, consisting in a high (up to 800 ^оС) exhaust temperature, aggressive environment, a high (up to 120.000 min^-1) rotor speed, the sliding speeds of the mating parts, up to 150 m/s. Oil for lubrication and cooling of the TCR is supplied through floating plain bearings, while the cavities of the turbine and compressor are isolated by means of the seal assemblies. Violation of their operability leads to the ingress of oil in a cavity of the impellers, to the imbalance of a rotor and, ultimately, to a turbocompressor failure. The determining factor affecting the operability of the seal assembly is a heat density of its parts. This factor is especially manifested in operating under forced conditions and engine shutdown, when cooling of a turbine volute is stopped by blown air, and a bearing assembly is stopped by circulating oil. In this case, a large part of the thermal energy is transferred from a heated turbine volute to the seal assembly and to the bearing assembly. The focus is on the temperature influence on performance of the turbocompressors’ sealing rings.